The present invention is directed to an envelope slitting device and relates more particularly to a device which will automatically feed envelopes at an infeed zone or station to a final slitting station wherein a slit is formed in the envelope adjacent a longitudinal margin thereof. The slitting device will be hereinafter referred to as a chadless slitter, since the slitting action is effected without separating increments of the envelope (chad) from the body of the envelope.
The invention is directed more particularly to an externally beltless feed device capable of precision slitting envelopes of various sizes, including envelopes wherein portions of the respective envelope are of different thickness.
The invention is further directed to a device of the type described incorporating a novel separator-alignment station for receiving envelopes from the infeed zone, aligning them against a guide fence and blocking all but the lowermost envelope in the stack from proceeding through the device to the slitting station.